11 December 2012

FOOTBALL DPMM FC leave for Indonesia today


Tuesday, December 11, 2012
DPMM FC know that this week's Governor Aceh Trophy in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, will test their fitness and stamina to the limit.

DPMM FC take on Malaysian side Kelantan on Saturday and Indonesian outfit Semen Padang on Sunday.

Both champions of their respective leagues, they are just the kind of opponents DPMM FC will be looking to play as they prepare for next season's Singapore League.

The other group will see Malaysian giants Selangor face hosts Banda Aceh and fellow Indonesian side Makassar United, with the top-two teams in each group progressing to next Wednesday's semi-finals.

Brunei's only professional club finished last season's Singapore League (S-League) second despite not playing competitive football for two years, with their only quality pre-season coming against Thai Premier League side Chiangrai United FC, who they beat 2-1.

Leaving for Indonesia today, DPMM FC captain Rosmin Hj Mohd Kamis admitted that the Governor Aceh Trophy will prove to be a tougher assignment.

"It's very hard to play two games in two days ... Players need 48 hours to recover after every match," pointed out the skipper yesterday. "But pre-season warm up tournaments like these are important. I think training has been going well ... and the games in Aceh will give us the chance to better judge the four players who are on trial with us."

"I know Kelantan will be bringing some of their on-trial players as well, and I heard Keita Mandjou will be one of them," said Rosmin, referring to the former DPMM FC and Perak striker who ended the 2006/07 campaign as tied joint top-scorer with DPMM FC's Shahrazen Said on 21 goals.

It is understood DPMM FC will be bringing a striker, two midfielders and one defender with them to Indonesia.

Though DPMM FC had a two-week break after the S-League ended on Nov 2, Shahrazen feels the team is back to normal in terms of fitness.

However, he still thinks the games in Banda Aceh will be tough on the players — though he feels it is a challenge the team is up for.

"Playing two games in as many days is bound to take a toll on the players," said Shahrazen, who was the team's top-scorer in the S-League last season with 13 goals.

"It's very important for us to have warm-up games like these, because last time we only had one game against Chiangrai

"Personally, my target is for us to reach the semi-final. Once we get there, anything can happen. I don't know much about Semen Padang but I do know Kelantan are the Malaysian champions," he added.

Kelantan have been the most successful Malaysian team over the past few years, evident from their form in Malaysia's top-tier Malaysia Super League.

Kelantan are the reigning Malaysia Super League champions, successfully defending the title they won in 2011. They finished the 2010 season second.

The Red Warriors are also the defending champions in the Malaysia Cup — a trophy they won for the first time in 2010.

Semen Padang FC are no pushovers either, the team are the reigning champions of the country's top-tier tournament, the Indonesian Premier League.

But with Shahrazen around, DPMM FC know that they have a proven goal-scorer who will find the net if enough chances are created.

DPMM FC last took to Indonesia for a tournament in August 2008, when they lost 2-0 to Indonesia B and 5-1 to Libya Under-23 in the Pertamina Independence Cup — with Shahrazen scoring the team's only goal in the eight-day competition in Jakarta.

The Brunei Times 

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